SnapCenter SQL out of place restore issue

I am able to successfully perform sql backups on both of my test SQL hosts in snapcenter, as well as "in place" sql database restores, however, I am having issues with restoring to an alternate host. Error is as follows:

ob.vmfs.nfs.mount.error.perm.denied:NFS mount <arrayIP/datastorename> failed: The mount request was denied by the NFS server. Check that the export exists and that the client is permitted to mount it.

We are running SnapCenter v4.0p3. The plug ins on both SQL hosts are running the same run-as credential. The run-as credential has local admin access to each sql server, as well as SA access in SQL.

Wondering if anyone else has run into this issue and what I might investigate to resolve. Thanks.

Re: SnapCenter SQL out of place restore issue

I opened a NetApp support ticket on this issue (Restore failed with error: The mount request was denied by the NFS server) and received the following information:

"Restoring DBs to instances hosted on different ESX hosts is not currently supported and will result in the above error. If the VMs hosting these instances are located on the same ESX host, there is a potential issue that we might be seeing."

In my case, the SQL VMs were indeed on different hosts. After migrating them to the same ESXi host I was able to perform the out-of-place database restore without issue.

I inquired as to when this operation might be supported and my tech explained there is a BURT open for the feature and they are looking at adding it in a future release but no version for the release has been selected since it is a complex undertaking.

Re: SnapCenter SQL out of place restore issue

I seem to have an inconsistent experience with out of place restores, I have successfully restored out of place to a VM on a different host several times even though the documentation claims they have to be on the same host. Then other times I experience the same error that you recieved.

I like SnapCenter but the documentation is often inconsistent or just plain wrong at times.

Re: SnapCenter SQL out of place restore issue

Your timing is actually great. This is now fixed in SnapCenter v4.1P3. We just upgraded yesterday and verified we can now perform out-of-place SQL db restores without having both source and target VMs on the same ESX host.

I agree there are still some challenges with SnapCenter, particularly with the scheduling piece, but hopefully that will be addressed in a future enhancement.